As I lifted Hoss, my eleven-year-old standard wire-haired dachshund onto the bed, I noticed that he was quite bloated. Mmm, I wonder what he's been eating outside, was my first thought. Then, turning out the light, we all settled down … Read more

In Alaska, my father and my grandfather were prospectors, an occupation that required a lot of shoveling. I grew up accustomed to all the attitudes and language that go with this frustrating, hole-digging, way of life, especially when … Read more

Because we are tempted to judge others by their possessions, it is easy to jump to a conclusion when we know their address. For example, when we hear the word "penthouse", it is easy to assume that the described location is opulent and … Read more

Here's a riddle for those of you familiar with church tradition: How are cake recipes and church bulletins alike? You'd likely agree that both list ingredients to be assembled and enjoyed. But did you remember the fire? Yes: They both … Read more

I remember how the right timing and the perfect words once turned a harsh and hurtful situation to a smooth transition. I was blessed with six families within our family, and we shared everything. We were all for one and one for all — … Read more

Winter isn't my favourite season. Although it's very beautiful after a snowfall — a winter wonderland, as they say — I don't like it when the wind blows and visibility becomes almost nil, especially if we have to travel somewhere. We … Read more

Zoë usually walks to her nearby school. In the gloomy month of December, she went off in too much hurriedness, and in the process, she forgot her watch. A few minutes after she left, I noticed it on the bathroom radiator. So, being a … Read more

Don't get me wrong — I loved my old car. Though it was almost ten years old, it was easy to drive and was still in great shape. My family, however, strongly encouraged me to consider getting a newer car with better safety features. … Read more

Worry and anxiety are bedfellows that often show up together. Kelita sat in her car, gunning the engine but going nowhere. There was good reason. The gearshift was in neutral. She burned fuel and fogged up the garage in which the car … Read more

It was wash day. I got right to work, separating the laundry into piles and loading the washer. I reached for the cleaning agents and meticulously measured bleach, detergent, and fabric softener, pouring each into their respective … Read more

For the last eight years of my working career, before I refocused — not retired — I was the international controller of the pipeline engineering firm that I had been with for many years. I was in charge of the financial and accounting … Read more

Canadians love hockey. In the Hockey Hall of Fame, the great players of the past are honoured and revered. When the stars retire, their player numbers are retired, too, and in their home ice arenas, their hockey jerseys are hung up high in … Read more

When I take my horse, Frank, out for a buggy ride or a walk with my two-year-old granddaughter perched in the saddle, my goat, Marshall, has a habit. He climbs atop his jungle gym, and standing on the platform, he waits and watches for … Read more

Last fall, the apples from my only apple tree were terribly riddled with wee worm tracks, but I managed to salvage enough good apple parts from half a pail of apples to get a big jar of great applesauce. I read of a man who felt that his … Read more

Sometimes, I wake up in the middle of the night, and I remember something that I foolishly spoke or an embarrassing mistake that I committed years ago. The event or the expression that I used stings my pride, and I feel sorry for having … Read more

How is your health? This is a question that is frequently asked. It normally applies to our physical health, and we may be asked many times throughout our lives. When my tenth great-grandchild arrived in October, there were many times … Read more

More and more people are using the Internet to communicate. It makes sense. After all, it's quick and easy to send someone an email, text, or direct message. But I think that there's a growing problem. It's that people write things that … Read more

Stamps have been important throughout our country's history for sending and receiving mail — primarily letters — back and forth across the country. Besides train, truck, and air, some famous delivery methods were the Overland Stage and … Read more

It's that SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) time of the year again! I don't like the dark, and I'm longing for the days when they get longer again. I've been using my light therapy lamp since the beginning of November. It's become part of … Read more

My oven has a triple-glazed oven door. Over time, the weekly routine of cooking fish and chips, cakes, and various roasts accumulates residue on the inside of the glass door. Whilst we may easily clean the outside of the glass daily with … Read more

"We should name him Nemo," I teased, as we lowered our little goldfish into the backyard pond. But then, there were those two cute dots on his tail. "How about 'Deuce'?" my husband suggested. "Perhaps 'Dos'?" I countered. So, it was … Read more

Being told to submit wasn't as easy as the process itself. Like most children, I chafed at times under my parents' authority. As a child, I accepted that they were always right. As I got older, I questioned some of their rules and … Read more

On several occasions after one of my devotionals has been published, people have let me know, "I knew it was one of yours as soon as I started to read it." This was mostly because of something that I had written about my experiences at the … Read more

I have worked for the past fifteen years in the justice system, hands-on as a social worker, speaking with offenders in their living units and trying to assist them to untangle the situations in which they found themselves. Sometimes, it … Read more

I am not a morning person, and I used to dread 8:00 a.m. college classes. I would do everything to stay awake: drink coffee, tap my toe, chew on a mint, and take a walk at break time. It was still hard to stay awake and be alert. The … Read more

Crossing a high, fifty-foot-long, rickety swinging bridge during the pouring rain took prayer and balance. Dad's mill crew was on a mission of mercy to sick neighbours who lived, and were stranded, across the creek. They waited until the … Read more

My wife and I recently purchased a condominium in Victoria on Canada's Vancouver Island, and we intend to move there shortly. The woman from whom we purchased the condominium was a widow. She was dying, and she wanted to sell her home to … Read more

Once all the Christmas decorations are taken down and put away, have you ever noticed how much more space you have? We have a large home, so even with the holiday decorations, it is not cluttered. But still, I am always taken by surprise … Read more

My wife and I are quickly moving towards being patriarch and matriarch of our family. Though I try not to think about it, I know that the time is approaching when my mother and my in-laws will die. I remember the sorrow that I felt when … Read more

Earlier this past year, I finished reading the Bible from first to last again. Now I have finished patting myself on the back for that accomplishment, and I have had long enough away from the more organized system of reading His Word to … Read more

Each day when we awaken, we face a new beginning. If the day on the calendar is a 1, then that day is a new month. If it is January 1, then it is the beginning of a new year. 2020 is the start of a new decade. Each beginning comes with an … Read more